Fitting and closure for water jet for water-holding device, such as a pool

ABSTRACT

In a first aspect, a kit of parts is provided for a water-holding device such as a pool. The kit of parts includes a multi-function member and a lock ring. The multi-function member includes a flange portion and a rear eyeball support portion which are integral with one another. The flange portion fastens to a wall fitting. The rear eyeball support portion includes a rear support surface positioned to support a rear portion of an eyeball. The lock ring includes a front support surface and is threadedly connected to the rear eyeball support portion with the front support surface supporting a front portion of the water jet eyeball.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This application relates to fittings for water jets for water-holdingdevices, such as pools or the like, and more particularly toarrangements that facilitate winterizing of a water-holding device suchas a pool or the like.

BACKGROUND

Pools typically employ return jets which are used for one or morepurposes such as for promoting water circulation. Typically, during thewinterizing process for a pool, a plug is inserted to seal off thereturn jet in order to prevent water from entering the water conduitbehind the return jet and freezing, which can damage the water conduit.However, the process for this can be laborious and sometimes results indamaged parts, thereby complicating the re-opening of the pool when warmweather arrives.

It would be desirable to provide a solution for winterizing awater-holding device that addresses one or more of the problemsdescribed above and herein, and/or to address one or more other problemsthat exist for water-holding devices that employ return jets.

SUMMARY

In a first aspect, a kit of parts is provided for a water-holding devicesuch as a pool, a hot tub, or the like. The water-holding device has awall and a wall aperture through the wall, a wall fitting that ismounted to the wall in alignment with the wall aperture, and whichdefines a water flow path, and which includes a plurality of wallfitting fastener apertures, and a liner that is mounted on top of thewall fitting. The kit of parts includes a multi-function member and alock ring. The multi-function member includes a flange portion and arear eyeball support portion. The flange portion includes a plurality ofmulti-function member fastener apertures that are positioned inalignment with at least some of the wall fitting fastener apertures, soas to permit the pass-through of a plurality of fasteners so as tosealingly mount the flange portion to the wall fitting with the linerclamped between the flange portion and the wall fitting. The reareyeball support portion is integral with the flange portion so as toprevent water leakage therebetween. The rear eyeball support portionincludes a rear support surface positioned to support a rear portion ofa water jet eyeball, the water jet eyeball having an eyeball waterpassage. The rear eyeball support portion further includes a reareyeball support portion threaded region. The lock ring includes a frontsupport surface and includes a lock ring threaded region that ispositioned to engage the rear eyeball support portion threaded region tohold the lock ring to the rear eyeball support portion with the frontsupport surface supporting a front portion of the water jet eyeball.When the lock ring is held to the rear eyeball support portion, the rearsupport surface and the front support surface are positioned so as tohold the water jet eyeball in a plurality of orientations of the waterjet eyeball, with the eyeball water passage in fluid communication withthe wall fitting aperture, and with an interior of the water-holdingdevice.

In some embodiments, the kit of parts includes a winterizing member thatincludes a seal member, and a winterizing member threaded region. Uponremoval of the lock ring and the water jet eyeball from the rear eyeballsupport portion, the winterizing member threaded region is engageablewith the rear eyeball support portion threaded region to connect thewinterizing member to the rear eyeball support portion with the sealmember in sealing engagement with the rear eyeball support portion.

In a second aspect, a multi-function member is provided for awater-holding device such as a pool, a hot tub, or the like. Thewater-holding device has a wall and a wall aperture through the wall, awall fitting that is mounted to the wall in alignment with the wallaperture, and which defines a water flow path, and which includes aplurality of wall fitting fastener apertures, and a liner that ismounted on top of the wall fitting. The water-holding device furtherincludes a lock ring that includes a front support surface and includesa lock ring threaded region. The multi-function member includes a flangeportion and a rear eyeball support portion. The flange portion includesa plurality of multi-function member fastener apertures that arepositioned in alignment with at least some of the wall fitting fastenerapertures, so as to permit the pass-through of a plurality of fastenersso as to sealingly mount the flange portion to the wall fitting with theliner clamped between the flange portion and the wall fitting. The reareyeball support portion is integral with the flange portion so as toprevent water leakage therebetween. The rear eyeball support portionincludes a rear support surface positioned to support a rear portion ofa water jet eyeball, the water jet eyeball having an eyeball waterpassage. The rear eyeball support portion further includes a reareyeball support portion threaded region positioned for receiving thelock ring threaded region to hold the lock ring to the rear eyeballsupport portion with the front support surface supporting a frontportion of the water jet eyeball. When the lock ring is held to the reareyeball support portion, the rear support surface and the front supportsurface are positioned so as to hold the water jet eyeball in aplurality of orientations of the water jet eyeball, with the eyeballwater passage in fluid communication with the wall fitting aperture, andwith an interior of the water-holding device.

In another aspect, a return jet is provided for a water-holding devicesuch as a pool, a hot tub, or the like. The water-holding device has awall and a wall aperture through the wall, and a liner provided on aninside face of the wall. The return jet includes a wall fitting, amulti-function member, an eyeball, and a lock ring. The wall fitting ismounted to the wall in alignment with the wall aperture, and defines awater flow path. The wall fitting includes a plurality of wall fittingfastener apertures, and a liner that is mounted on top of the wallfitting. The multi-function member includes a flange portion and a reareyeball support portion. The flange portion includes a plurality ofmulti-function member fastener apertures that are positioned inalignment with at least some of the wall fitting fastener apertures, soas to permit the pass-through of a plurality of fasteners so as tosealingly mount the flange portion to the wall fitting with the linerclamped between the flange portion and the wall fitting. The reareyeball support portion is integral with the flange portion so as toprevent water leakage therebetween. The rear eyeball support portionincludes a rear support surface positioned to support a rear portion ofthe water jet eyeball. The water jet eyeball has an eyeball waterpassage. The rear eyeball support portion further includes a reareyeball support portion threaded region. The lock ring includes a frontsupport surface and includes a lock ring threaded region that ispositioned to engage the rear eyeball support portion threaded region tohold the lock ring to the rear eyeball support portion with the frontsupport surface supporting a front portion of the water jet eyeball.When the lock ring is held to the rear eyeball support portion, the rearsupport surface and the front support surface are positioned so as tohold the water jet eyeball in a plurality of orientations of the waterjet eyeball, with the eyeball water passage in fluid communication withthe wall fitting aperture, and with an interior of the water-holdingdevice.

In some embodiments, the return jet includes a winterizing member thatincludes a seal member, and a winterizing member threaded region. Uponremoval of the lock ring and the water jet eyeball from the rear eyeballsupport portion, the winterizing member threaded region is engageablewith the rear eyeball support portion threaded region to connect thewinterizing member to the rear eyeball support portion with the sealmember in sealing engagement with the rear eyeball support portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other aspects of the disclosure will be betterunderstood with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a simplified representation of a poolwith a return jet, in accordance with the prior art.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the prior art return jet shownin FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a simplified representation of a poolwith a return jet, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the return jet shown in FIG.3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation view of the return jet shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional perspective view of a winterizing member for thereturn jet shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a sectional perspective view of the winterizing member mountedto a portion of the return jet shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a sectional perspective view of a variant of the return jetshown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for use with the pool shown in FIG. 3, as analternative to the return jet shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a sectional perspective view of a winterizing member mountedto a portion of the return jet shown in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, where consideredappropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the drawings toindicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the embodiment or embodiments described herein.However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the artthat the embodiments described herein may be practiced without thesespecific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures andcomponents have not been described in detail so as not to obscure theembodiments described herein. It should be understood at the outsetthat, although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the drawings anddescribed below, the principles of the present disclosure may beimplemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known ornot. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplaryimplementations and techniques illustrated in the drawings and describedbelow.

Various terms used throughout the present description may be read andunderstood as follows, unless the context indicates otherwise: “or” asused throughout is inclusive, as though written “and/or”; singulararticles and pronouns as used throughout include their plural forms, andvice versa; similarly, gendered pronouns include their counterpartpronouns so that pronouns should not be understood as limiting anythingdescribed herein to use, implementation, performance, etc. by a singlegender; “exemplary” should be understood as “illustrative” or“exemplifying” and not necessarily as “preferred” over otherembodiments. Further definitions for terms may be set out herein; thesemay apply to prior and subsequent instances of those terms, as will beunderstood from a reading of the present description.

Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems,apparatuses, and methods described herein without departing from thescope of the disclosure. For example, the components of the systems andapparatuses may be integrated or separated. Moreover, the operations ofthe systems and apparatuses disclosed herein may be performed by more,fewer, or other components and the methods described may include more,fewer, or other steps. Additionally, steps may be performed in anysuitable order. As used in this document, “each” refers to each memberof a set or each member of a subset of a set.

Reference is made to FIG. 1, which shows a water-holding device 10, witha water jet 20 in accordance with the prior art. In the example shownthe water-holding device 10 is a greatly simplified representation of apool, and, for readability, will be referred to as the pool 10. The pool10 includes a plurality of walls 14 including, in the present example, aplurality of side walls 14 a, 14 b, 14 c, and 14 d, and a floor wall 14e, which together cooperate to define an interior 16 that is intended tohold water. The pool 10 is represented as a simple box, but it will beunderstood that the walls 14 could be formed with any complex shape andcould be formed with features such as steps, for use by a user whengetting in and out of the pool 10, and seats for use by a user whenseated in the pool 10. The pool 10 has a liner 18 that covers an insideface of the walls 14.

The pool 10 has at least one water jet 20 (which may alternatively bereferred to as, and which means the same as, one or more water jets 20),which receives water from a water transport conduit system, which inturn receives water from a pump (not shown). The pump draws water fromwithin the interior 16 of the pool 10 and drives the water to the atleast one water jet 20. The one or more water jets 20 may thus bereferred to as a return jet 20, as is commonly done in the pool and hottub industries. With reference to FIG. 2, the return jet 20 includes awall fitting 22 that mounts to one of the walls 14 (e.g. the side wall14 a), about a wall aperture 24 that extends through the wall 14. Thewall fitting 22 includes a neck portion 22 a that extends through thewall aperture 24. A wall fitting nut (not shown) threadedly connects tothe neck portion 22 a on the opposite side of the wall 14 a to hold thewall fitting 22 in place on the wall 14 a.

The return jet 20 further includes a faceplate 28 that is positioned onan inside face of the liner 18 about a liner water aperture 29 and thatmounts to the wall fitting 22 through the aperture 29 in the liner 18,by means of faceplate fasteners shown at 30, which pass throughcorresponding faceplate fastener apertures 31, and into correspondingwall fitting fastener apertures 33 in the wall fitting 22. Thisarrangement sealingly mounts the faceplate 28 to the wall fitting 22with the liner 18 clamped therebetween. A suitable gasket 27 a may beprovided between the wall fitting 22 and the liner 18. Another suitablegasket 27 b may be provided between the faceplate 28 and the liner 18.The gaskets 27 a and 27 b improve the seals formed between the wallfitting 22 and the liner 18, and between the faceplate 28 and the liner18, respectively.

A rear eyeball seat 32 is threadedly mounted to the wall fitting 22, andextends through the liner water aperture 29 and through a centralaperture 34 in the faceplate 28. The rear eyeball seat 32 has a reareyeball seat surface 36, which supports a rear portion of an eyeball 38.As can be seen, the rear eyeball seat 32 is completely separate from andspaced from the faceplate 28.

A lock ring 40 is threadedly mounted to a forward end of the reareyeball seat 32, and includes a front eyeball seat 42 that engages afront portion of the eyeball 38. In this way, the eyeball 38 is capturedbetween the lock ring 40 and the rear eyeball seat 32, and can becaptured in a plurality of orientations.

Water flows from the water transport conduit (not shown), through theneck portion 22 a of the wall fitting 22, through the rear eyeball seat32, through the eyeball 38, and out from the eyeball 38 into theinterior of the pool 10.

When it is desired to winterize the pool 10, typically a technicianturns the lock ring 40 to remove it. In some instances, the rear eyeballseat 32 will turn with the lock ring 40 and will unscrew from the wallfitting 22. However, in many instances the rear eyeball seat 32 willremain threadedly connected to the wall fitting 22 and the lock ring 40will unscrew from the rear eyeball seat 32. When this occurs, thetechnician removes the lock ring 40 from the rear eyeball seat 32, andthen removes the eyeball 38 from the rear eyeball seat 32. Since therear eyeball seat 32 does not possess an area that is easy to graspwithout damaging its threaded regions, a tool (not shown), referred tosometimes as a seat removal tool may then be inserted into the reareyeball seat 32 so as to engage with two slots 44 in the rear eyeballseat 32. One of the slots 44 is shown in FIG. 2. The seat removal toolcan then be turned in order to drive the rear eyeball seat 32 to unscrewfrom the wall fitting 22. Once the rear eyeball seat 32 is removed fromthe wall fitting 22, a winterizing plug 46 with a suitable plumber'stape (a type of tape used by plumbers when connecting two threadedtubular members on its threaded region may be inserted through thecentral aperture 34 in the faceplate 28 and threadedly connected to thewall fitting 22, in order to seal against the ingress of water throughthe return jet 20 into the water transport conduit system.

This process of removing the various components and potentiallynecessitating the need for a special tool to remove the rear eyeballseat 38 is disadvantageous, for several reasons. For example, the needfor a special tool means that if the tool is lost or damaged, atechnician would need to replace the tool in order to be able to removethe rear eyeball seat 32 without damaging the rear eyeball seat 32. Bycontrast, if the tool is lost or damaged and cannot therefore be used,some other tool, such as channel lock pliers, may be used. However,using channel lock pliers will have a high likelihood of damaging thethreaded region on the rear eyeball seat 32 that is intended forreceiving the lock ring 40, thereby resulting in the need to replace therear eyeball seat when reopening the pool 10.

FIG. 3 shows a water-holding device 100 in accordance with an embodimentof the present disclosure. The water-holding device 100 may be similarto the water-holding device 10, and may thus include at least one wall114 (which may alternatively be referred to as, and which means the sameas, one or more walls 114), and a liner 118 covering an inside face ofthe one or more walls 114. In the embodiment shown, the water-holdingdevice 100 includes a plurality of walls 114, including a plurality ofside walls 114 a, 114 b, 114 c, and 114 d, and a floor wall 114 e, whichtogether cooperate to define an interior 116 that is intended to holdwater. In the embodiment shown, the water-holding device 100 is agreatly simplified representation of a pool. For readability, thewater-holding device 100 may be referred to herein as the pool 100.However, it will be understood that the water-holding device 100 couldinstead be any other suitable type of water-holding device, such as ahot tub, for example, or other water-holding device that includes a wallbut does not include a liner.

Like the pool 10, the pool 100 is represented as a simple box, but itwill be understood that the walls 114 could be formed with any complexshape and could be formed with features such as steps, for use by a userwhen getting in and out of the pool 10, and seats for use by a user whenseated in the pool 100.

The pool 100 includes at least one water jet 120 (which may be referredto as at least one return jet 120), which receives water from a watertransport conduit system, which in turn receives water from a pump (notshown). The pump draws water from within the interior 116 of the pool100 and drives the water to the at least one return jet 120.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an exploded view and a sectional view, respectively,of the return jet 120. The return jet 120 includes a wall fitting 122that may be similar to the wall fitting 22 (FIG. 2) and which mounts tothe wall 114 a about a wall aperture 124 (FIG. 5) that extends throughthe wall 114 a. The wall fitting 122 may mount to the wall 114 a in anysuitable way, such as by including a neck portion 122 a that extendsthrough the wall aperture 124, and a wall fitting nut 125 (FIG. 5) thatthreadedly connects to the neck portion 122 a on the opposite side ofthe wall 114 a and which is tightened to hold the wall fitting 122 inplace on the wall 114 a, as is known in the art. The wall fitting 122includes a wall fitting water passage 145 therethrough.

The return jet 120 further includes a multi-function member 126 thatincludes a multi-function member water passage 151 therethrough having afirst end at a rear portion 126 a of the multi-function member 126 and asecond end at a front portion 126 b of the multi-function member 126.The multi-function member water passage 151 is in fluid communicationwith the wall fitting water passage 145 through a liner water aperture129 that passes through the liner 118.

The multi-function member 126 includes a flange portion 128 that ispositioned on an inside face 118 a of the liner 118 about the linerwater aperture 129. The flange portion 128 includes a plurality ofmulti-function member fastener apertures 131 that are positioned inalignment with a plurality of wall fitting fastener apertures 133. Aplurality of multi-function member fasteners 130 (FIG. 4) pass throughthe multi-function member fastener apertures 131, through the liner 118,and into the wall fitting fastener apertures 133 so as to sealinglymount the flange portion 128 (and therefore the multi-function member126) to the wall fitting 122 with the liner 118 clamped between theflange portion 128 and the wall fitting 122. Suitable gaskets (notshown) may be provided between the wall fitting 122 and the liner 118,and between the multi-function member 126 and the liner 118 to improvethe seals formed therebetween.

The multi-function member 126 (FIG. 5) further includes a rear eyeballsupport portion 132 that is integral with the flange portion 128, so asto prevent water leakage therebetween. In the embodiment shown, the reareyeball support portion 132 and the flange portion 128 are monolithicwith one another. In other words, in the embodiment shown, the reareyeball support portion 132 and the flange portion 128 are formedtogether from a single part. By contrast, the rear eyeball seat 32 inFIG. 2 is connected to the wall fitting 22 and permits a leakage ofwater through the threaded connection therebetween. By joining theflange portion 128 and the rear eyeball support portion 132 in such away as to prevent water leakage therebetween (in this embodiment, bymaking them as a single, contiguous component), the rear eyeball seat132 need not be removed in order to winterize the return jet 120, incontrast to the rear eyeball seat 32 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2,which needs to be removed due to the leakage path that is presentbetween it and the wall fitting 22.

In some alternative embodiments, instead of forming an integralconnection between the rear eyeball support portion 132 and the flangeportion 128, it is possible for the rear eyeball support portion 132 andthe flange portion 128 to be separate components that are connectedtogether via a releasable connection, but which is a water-tightconnection so as to prevent water leakage therebetween.

The rear eyeball support portion 132 includes a rear support surface 136positioned to support a rear portion 138 a of a water jet eyeball 138(the rear portion being shown at 138 a). The water jet eyeball 138further includes a front portion 138 b, and an eyeball water passage 138c (FIG. 4) that extends between the rear portion 138 a and the frontportion 138 b. The water jet eyeball 138 may simply be referred to as aneyeball 138 for readability.

The rear eyeball support portion 132 further includes a rear eyeballsupport portion threaded region 139. A lock ring 140 includes a frontsupport surface 142 and a lock ring threaded region 143 that ispositioned to engage the rear eyeball support portion threaded region139 to hold the lock ring 140 to the rear eyeball support portion 132with the front support surface 142 supporting the front portion 138 b ofthe water jet eyeball 138.

When the lock ring 140 is held to the rear eyeball support portion 132,the rear support surface 136 and the front support surface 142 arepositioned so as to hold the eyeball 138 in a plurality of orientationsof the eyeball 138, with the eyeball water passage 138 c in fluidcommunication with the wall fitting water passage 145, and with theinterior 116 (FIG. 3) of the water-holding device 100.

Water flows from the water transport conduit (not shown), though theneck portion 122 a (FIG. 5) of the wall fitting 122, through the reareyeball support portion 132, through the eyeball 138, and out from theeyeball 138 into the interior 116 (FIG. 3) of the pool 100.

When it is desired to winterize the pool 100, a technician turns thelock ring 140 to remove it from the multi-function member 126. Once thetechnician removes the lock ring 140 from the multi-function member 126,the technician then removes the eyeball 138 from the rear eyeballsupport portion 132. Once the eyeball 138 is removed from the reareyeball support portion 132, a winterizing member 146 (FIGS. 6 and 7) isremovably connected to the multi-function member 126 to seal againstwater leakage into the multi-function member 126 and therefore into thetransport water conduit (not shown). In the embodiment shown, thewinterizing member 146 includes a seal member 150 (e.g. an O-ring), andfurther includes a winterizing member threaded region 152. Upon removalof the lock ring 140 and the eyeball 138 (FIG. 5) from the rear supportportion 132, the winterizing member threaded region 152 is engageablewith the rear eyeball support portion threaded region 139 to connect thewinterizing member 146 to the multi-function member 126 with the sealmember 150 in sealing engagement with the front portion 126 b of themulti-function member 126 about the multi-function member water passage151.

In the embodiment shown, the rear eyeball support portion threadedregion 139 is externally threaded, and the lock ring threaded region 143(and the winterizing member threaded region 152) is internally threaded.In the embodiment shown, the rear eyeball support portion threadedregion 139 is externally threaded, and the lock ring threaded region 143(and the winterizing member threaded region 152) is internally threaded,however, in other embodiments, they could be reversed.

In other embodiments, the winterizing member 146 may be some other typeof member, such as an expandable rubber plug.

The return jet 120 is advantageous over the return jet 20 in severalways. By providing the multi-function member 126 instead of the reareyeball seat 32 and faceplate 28, there is no need for the removal ofany components after the lock ring 140 and eyeball 138 are removed. Itis possible in some embodiments, for the winterizing member 146 to beconfigured so as to be able to fit on the multi-function member 126while leaving the eyeball 138 in place in the multi-function member 126.

The wall fitting 122 is shown as including an internally threaded region160 (FIG. 5), however, this threaded region 160 is not necessary. Thethreaded region 160 may be merely a legacy feature in embodiments wherethe wall fitting 122 is provided by repurposing the wall fitting 22 (ofFIG. 2). In embodiments wherein the threaded region 160 is provided, itis optionally possible to size the multi-function member water passage151 to be smaller in diameter than the threaded region 160, (as shown inFIG. 5), so that the threaded region 160 is recessed relative to thewall of the multi-function member water passage 151 so as to ensure thatan installer cannot insert a threaded rear eyeball seat 32 of the priorart into the wall fitting 122.

In embodiments where the wall fitting 122 is manufactured and dedicatedto use with the return jet 120, it is optionally possible for it to omitthe internally threaded region 160.

In some embodiments it is optionally possible to provide at least oneslot shown at 162 in the inner wall of the multi-function member 126,which ensures that a device such as an expandable rubber plug cannot beused. In some embodiments, two, three, four, or more slots 162 may beprovided in the inner wall of the multi-function member 126.

The multi-function member 126 shown in FIGS. 3-5 can, in some instances,be installed as a replacement for the faceplate 28 on analready-installed, prior art return jet 20. In such an instance, it ispossible that the wall fitting 22 can remain in place, and that theeyeball 38 and the lock ring 40 can be reused from the prior art returnjet 20. Thus, in some embodiments, the multi-function member 126 may beprovided on its own by a supplier, in order to replace the faceplate 28.

It is therefore possible in some embodiments for the multi-functionmember 126 shown in FIGS. 3-5 to be part of a brand new kit of partssupplied by a supplier, which includes the multi-function member 126,and one or more of: the wall fitting 122 or the prior art wall fitting22, the wall fitting nut 125 or the prior art wall fitting nut 25, theeyeball 138 or the prior art eyeball 38, the lock ring 140 or the priorart lock ring 40, and the fasteners 130 or the prior art fasteners 30,depending on the particular application.

Reference is made to FIG. 8, which shows a sectional perspective view ofthe return jet 120 that has a multi-function member 126 that is shapedslightly differently than the one shown in FIGS. 3-5. FIG. 9 shows thewinterizing member 146 sized to mount to the rear eyeball supportportion threaded region 139 to connect the winterizing member 146 to themulti-function member 126 with the seal member 150 in sealing engagementwith the front portion 126 b about the multi-function member waterpassage 151.

In the embodiment shown, the water-holding device 100 is shown asincluding a plurality of walls 114 and a liner 118. Some water-holdingdevices 100, such as some fiberglass-walled pools, do not include aliner, however. In such cases, a prior art arrangement would include awall fitting similar to the wall fitting 22 (FIG. 2), which has athreaded portion that threadedly receives a rear eyeball seat similar tothe rear eyeball seat 32, which in turn receives an eyeball similar tothe eyeball 38, and a lock ring similar to the lock ring 40.

For such water-holding devices that do not include a liner, analternative embodiment of the multi-function member 126 may be provided,and is shaped to replace the wall fitting 22 (FIG. 5) and has a flangeportion that rests against the wall 114, similar to that of the wallfitting 122, and a portion that extends through the wall aperture 124,so as to threadedly receives the wall fitting nut 125, in order to clampthe wall 114 between the multi-function member 126 and the threaded wallfitting nut 125. In such an alternative embodiment, the multi-functionmember 126, as in the embodiments described above, further includes therear eyeball support portion 132 that is integral with the flangeportion, and which receives the eyeball 138, and the lock ring 140.

Some other water-holding devices that may not include a liner includeconcrete pools. In such instances the multi-function member 126 may beconfigured to be partially buried in the concrete (and therefore neednot be configured to receive a wall fitting nut).

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments disclosedherein can be modified or adapted in various other ways whilst stillkeeping within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A kit of parts for a water-holding device that has a wall and a wallaperture through the wall, a wall fitting that is mounted to the wall inalignment with the wall aperture, and which defines a water flow path,and which includes a plurality of wall fitting fastener apertures, and aliner that is mounted on top of the wall fitting, the kit of partsmember comprising: a multi-function member that includes: a flangeportion that includes a plurality of multi-function member fastenerapertures that are positioned in alignment with at least some of thewall fitting fastener apertures, so as to permit the pass-through of aplurality of fasteners so as to sealingly mount the flange portion tothe wall fitting with the liner clamped between the flange portion andthe wall fitting; and a rear eyeball support portion that is integralwith the flange portion so as to prevent water leakage therebetween,wherein the rear eyeball support portion includes a rear support surfacepositioned to support a rear portion of a water jet eyeball, the waterjet eyeball having an eyeball water passage, wherein the rear eyeballsupport portion further includes a rear eyeball support portion threadedregion; and a lock ring that includes a front support surface and whichincludes a lock ring threaded region that is positioned to engage therear eyeball support portion threaded region to hold the lock ring tothe rear eyeball support portion with the front support surfacesupporting a front portion of the water jet eyeball, wherein, when thelock ring is held to the rear eyeball support portion, the rear supportsurface and the front support surface are positioned so as to hold thewater jet eyeball in a plurality of orientations of the water jeteyeball, with the eyeball water passage in fluid communication with thewall fitting aperture, and with an interior of the water-holding device.2. The kit of parts as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear eyeballsupport portion and the flange portion are monolithic with one another.3. The kit of parts as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear eyeballsupport portion threaded region is externally threaded, and the lockring threaded region is internally threaded.
 4. The kit of parts asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising a winterizing member thatincludes a seal member, and further includes a winterizing memberthreaded region, wherein, upon removal of the lock ring and the waterjet eyeball from the rear eyeball support portion, the winterizingmember threaded region is engageable with the rear eyeball supportportion threaded region to connect the winterizing member to the reareyeball support portion with the seal member in sealing engagement withthe rear eyeball support portion.
 5. The kit of parts as claimed inclaim 4, wherein the rear eyeball support portion threaded region isexternally threaded, and the winterizing member threaded region isinternally threaded.
 6. A multi-function member for a water-holdingdevice that has a wall and a wall aperture through the wall, a wallfitting that is mounted to the wall in alignment with the wall aperture,and which defines a water flow path, and which includes a plurality ofwall fitting fastener apertures, and a liner that is mounted on top ofthe wall fitting, and wherein the water-holding device further includesa lock ring that includes a front support surface and which includes alock ring threaded region, the multi-function member comprising: aflange portion that includes a plurality of multi-function memberfastener apertures that are positioned in alignment with at least someof the wall fitting fastener apertures, so as to permit the pass-throughof a plurality of fasteners so as to sealingly mount the flange portionto the wall fitting with the liner clamped between the flange portionand the wall fitting; and a rear eyeball support portion that isintegral with the flange portion so as to prevent water leakagetherebetween, wherein the rear eyeball support portion includes a rearsupport surface positioned to support a rear portion of a water jeteyeball, the water jet eyeball having an eyeball water passage, whereinthe rear eyeball support portion further includes a rear eyeball supportportion threaded region that is positioned to receive the lock ringthreaded region to hold the lock ring to the rear eyeball supportportion with the front support surface supporting a front portion of thewater jet eyeball, wherein, when the lock ring is held to the reareyeball support portion, the rear support surface and the front supportsurface are positioned so as to hold the water jet eyeball in aplurality of orientations of the water jet eyeball, with the eyeballwater passage in fluid communication with the wall fitting aperture, andwith an interior of the water-holding device.
 7. The multi-functionmember as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rear eyeball support portionand the flange portion are monolithic with one another.
 8. A return jetfor a water-holding device that has a wall and a wall aperture throughthe wall, and a liner that is provided on an inside face of the wall,the return jet comprising: a wall fitting that is mountable to the wallbetween the wall and the liner, in alignment with the wall aperture, andwhich defines a water flow path, and which includes a plurality of wallfitting fastener apertures; a multi-function member that includes: aflange portion that includes a plurality of multi-function memberfastener apertures that are positioned in alignment with at least someof the wall fitting fastener apertures, so as to permit the pass-throughof a plurality of fasteners so as to sealingly mount the flange portionto the wall fitting with the liner clamped between the flange portionand the wall fitting; and a rear eyeball support portion that isintegral with the flange portion so as to prevent water leakagetherebetween, wherein the rear eyeball support portion includes a rearsupport surface positioned to support a rear portion of a water jeteyeball, the water jet eyeball having an eyeball water passage, whereinthe rear eyeball support portion further includes a rear eyeball supportportion threaded region; and a lock ring that includes a front supportsurface and which includes a lock ring threaded region that ispositioned to engage the rear eyeball support portion threaded region tohold the lock ring to the rear eyeball support portion with the frontsupport surface supporting a front portion of the water jet eyeball,wherein, when the lock ring is held to the rear eyeball support portion,the rear support surface and the front support surface are positioned soas to hold the water jet eyeball in a plurality of orientations of thewater jet eyeball, with the eyeball water passage in fluid communicationwith the wall fitting aperture, and with an interior of thewater-holding device.
 9. The return jet as claimed in claim 8, whereinthe rear eyeball support portion and the flange portion are monolithicwith one another.
 10. The return jet as claimed in claim 8, wherein therear eyeball support portion threaded region is externally threaded, andthe lock ring threaded region is internally threaded.
 11. The return jetas claimed in claim 8, further comprising a winterizing member whereinthe winterizing member includes a seal member, and further includes awinterizing member threaded region, wherein, upon removal of the lockring and the water jet eyeball from the rear eyeball support portion,the winterizing member threaded region is engageable with the reareyeball support portion threaded region to connect the winterizingmember to the rear eyeball support portion with the seal member insealing engagement with the rear eyeball support portion.
 12. The returnjet as claimed in claim 11, wherein the rear eyeball support portionthreaded region is externally threaded, and the winterizing memberthreaded region is internally threaded.